


Of Companionship

by lampalot7



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Dog - Freeform, Drabble, Fluff, Gen, Inktober, Microscopfic, One-Shot, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 20:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21042017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lampalot7/pseuds/lampalot7
Summary: Edward finds a dog and grows attached, despite years of calling Al soft for all those kittens.





	Of Companionship

Edward felt preparation set into every somatic fiber the instant he heard a crash from within the darkened alley. He lowered himself into a familiar stance and shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, creeping forward in perfect silence. He pressed his back to the wall, took a soundless, steadying breath, and peeked around the corner to see-

A dog. The tension left his body on a sigh, and he stepped around his cover. “You just about gave me a heart attack, you know that, dog?”

It cocks its head to the side in response. Ed sighed again and walked into the alley, maintaining a respectful distance before crouching down, extending a hand, and making that weird clicking sound he’d always seen people do to call animals. The dog has to be new to the streets, Ed thinks bitterly, because it immediately wags and runs over to sniff at him, and he obligingly pets it. It’s surprisingly small, so Ed assumes it’s pretty young. It's fluffy and scraggly, and it definitely looks like it’d be more at home in the snow than in Central. He feels for a collar while scratching behind its ears. Finding nothing, he checks his pockets for remanent scraps, even knowing it will prove fruitless because Ed would have eaten it himself already. 

“Sorry, dog. I don’t have anything for you.” The dog continues to wag and laps at his face in response. Disgust and fondness warred within him.

Eventually, he stood, stretching his arms above his head to ease the ache crouching had formed in his back. The dog looks expectantly up at him. “I have to get back to Al, dog,” he says, and feels stupid for talking to a dog. “Maybe I’ll see you around sometime,” he adds, even while rolling his eyes at himself.

He spins on his heel and heads back towards the hotel they’re staying at. Ed makes it about twenty feet before he realizes the dog is following him. He looks back at it, and it freezes before darting behind the nearest object. He struggles against a smile and calls out, “There are no dogs allowed in the hotel, you can’t come back with me. Besides, we gotta head back out soon.”

The dog remains steadfast in its place behind a dumpster. Ed turns back around and tries to ignore the obvious pattering of paws behind him when he starts moving again.

He makes it another few blocks before glancing back to watch as it ducks into another alleyway. Ed’s eyebrow twitches. “I’d never hear the end of it, y’know. Al’s always trying to bring home stray kittens he finds, but I never let him. I can’t lose that high ground, Dog, it’s the only thing keeping us from running a feline orphanage.”

He keeps his eyes on his boots for maybe three minutes of movement before heaving an overly exasperated sigh, saying “Fine,” and waiting as Dog excitedly moved to his side. It bumped its nose against his flesh leg and wagged enthusiastically.

Ed stared back at its stupidly-effective and too literal puppy-dog eyes and sighs in resignation. “I’m never gonna hear the end of this, Dog. I hope you realize that you have, in effect, ruined my life forever.” It barks at him.

Ed smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was husky and I just??


End file.
